Stop the Untouchables. Justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

Lawyers of Browder, Magnitsky unprepared, court hearings adjourned till March 22

ITAR TASS

Moscow’s Tverskoi Court on Monday postponed till March 22 hearings on the criminal case against the auditor of the British fund Hermitage Capital Management, Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a detention center, and the fund’s director, British subject William Browder, as the defense lawyers proved unprepared.

The court opened hearings on the case in the presence of 50 journalists. Judge Igor Alisov read out a request from the lawyers of Magnitsky and Browder for a postponement by one month, because they had no time to study the case.

The prosecutor and the representative of the plaintiff agreed, but at the same time asked the judge to pay attention to what they claimed was deliberate procrastination by the defense lawyers.

“The court rules the session should be adjourned till March 22. The head of the corresponding body of lawyers was asked to pay attention to the need for observing the deadlines for studying the case, “the judge ruled.

Magnitsky and Browder are accused of evading 522 million rubles of taxes. The investigators say they forged tax declarations and abused benefits established for disabled persons. Also, the Interior Ministry suspects Browder of involvement in the misappropriation of Gazprom shares.